Sunday, September 20, 2015

So, first things first, starting with last week's work: I sharpened up the crosscut saw.

Then got to work, it cuts well but it's hard to use a foot off the ground. The log in question weighs probably around six hundred pounds; none of us can lift it.

Meeko helps clean up every time branches fall down!

You can kind of see the log to the right there.

I tried splitting the giant log...I knew it wants to be split vertical, but I want it to be horizontally. The log won this round.

So, I worked on one of the saws, got it all nice and shiny except for the teeth. The signature on this one used to be very faint, now it's visible, I'll try taking a picture next time.

I found this in the metal, it's strange, it isn't on the other side.

I sharpened the rip side, but forgot to only sharpen the side facing away from me. As such, I had to stone that side until the saw started cutting straight again.

The saw stand is full, but I still have saws to hang...

So, here are pictures of the tooth profile of the dozuki, the best ones I could get.

It has an extremely thin kerf

I listened to Sebastian and made a new saw vise. A softwood wedge works much better, but there was a gap in one side so I used duct tape as a shim. I think it's caused by the wedge, my planing technique is a bit off so one side is thicker than the other; the looseness is where the wedge is thick.

I used eastern white pine, hopefully it will last; I put in seven screws from each side. I love eastern white pine, it dents very very easily but it works very well, and it smells great. It smells like home, like drinking apple cider next to a log fire.

Finished up a cross today, I made it loose enough to be easily taken out to be hung on the wall, but still snug to give a satisfying fit. I found this nice piece of live edge, thought it'd pair well as a base, it seems like it did.

Gosh darn it, Murakami and Sebastian are a team. Typical strategy: First ones are free, then you need more...

So, all this was $36, but shipping and assorted fees brought it to $127.

We need cheap teleportation.

Of course, five days after Murakami shipped them, they arrived.

Can't complain about that, no complaining at all. Thousands and thousands of years of traveling taking weeks, months, and years. And within five-six centuries of rapid advances, we can now have saws from Japan shipped to New York.

I am so unbelievably blessed, to be able to have these opportunities available to me.

Aw yiss

First dozuki has some teeth missing Very straight teeth.

Some rust on the ryobas

Cracked handles...

This one seems good

Some stamped signatures

This key saw seems nice, I wonder if it can be used for saw handle making?

The teeth viewed from the top seem a little unusual, like there's no set but instead the teeth are zig-zagging.

These two guys came with their own wrap. I like it, I think I'll make wraps for my other ones.

A very small signature

Oooh, a curve, this guy will be a learning opportunity!

Another signature, or is it the same one? I sometimes forget which picture applies to which saw.

Aw yiss, files!

So, something I noticed about the key saw, the back is ground to become a knife's edge. Not like a taper, but like an actual knife bevel.

The pruning saw, second from the right, was another gift from Murakami.

Seriously, Murakami is really nice! Even put up with me trying to figure out how to use PayPal.

First up, a saw vise, then sharpening them and finding a setting hammer. Can't find one anywhere, though.

I was working on forging one, before. Now, it appears I won't be able to do blacksmithing, apparently the excessive lights will accelerate the eye disease. Doctor is predicting I won't go blind, but I will become even more light sensitive.

My oldest brother said he might take up the forge, though. A big thing I was hoping to do one day, maybe in ten or twenty years, was to be able to sell American made kanna blades. I can still probably make the dais, though, and metate work doesn't need bright lights. My dad and oldest brother said I should try welding goggles first.